Author's Note: So Its been a while but we are back in business here. This is a smutless chapter. Sorry. Sexy fun shall return in the Not too distant future. Until then...enjoy. Remember: Reviews are life!!!
As Loki rolled to his back with Jane following to lay atop him, mutters of the crowd in the wedding hall became white noise to Thor who forced himself to study Jane's face. He had seen that particular expression, not as often as he would have liked but he had seen it. It suddenly occurred to him that he was definitely looking at Jane, laying very naked and very rapturously around his very naked and still very blue brother, "That's...in my brain...now."
"Honey, mine too!" The Grandmaster playfully slapped Thor on the forearm, drawing the blond God's attention.
Thor glanced to the Grandmaster and witnessed a look virtually identical to the one he'd seen the strange man give Loki earlier.
"Are you sure you don't want a conjugal? I would love to have you all to myself for the evening," The Grandmaster wiggled his eyebrows.
Thor swallowed. Hard.
"Where is this champion of yours?! I don't have time for this. I have to get back to Asgard!" Thor growled, struggling with his restraints once again.
The Grandmaster sighed slowly, "What a shame. This way, Lord," He lifted his remote control and Thor's chair began moving.
"Loki?! Loki! We will have words!" Thor shouted as his chair forced him from the room.
Topaz looked to the Grandmaster, "And the happy couple?"
"They are free to go," The Grandmaster pouted for a moment, "We have an orgy or three to get to here," He swung out of his chair in a flourish, robes dancing around him, "But be sure to broadcast this little scene we had going on. We'll probably have to make this a new Sakaaran holiday."
"As you wish," Topaz moved to the doorway where Thor's chair had exited and began barking orders.
Meanwhile, Loki was content keeping Jane locked in the possession of his arms as he thought, "That was..."
"There are no words," Jane thought with a happy song to her inner voice as she stretched languidly along his body.
He grinned, slowly caressing her back, "Then, I suppose my work here is done."
She pulled her head up slightly to meet his gaze, "Wanna bet?"
"That sounds an awful lot like a challenge," Loki raised an eyebrow.
"Not really. I'm just letting you know that I'm not done with you," She smiled as innocently as possible as she leaned in to whisper her lips over his, "Not by a long shot."
"I do believe you are becoming addicted," He teased while running his cool hand down her spine.
Jane propped herself upon his chest and met his eyes while thinking, "Yeah, that whole everything in moderation philosophy...never really been a fan. Except when alcohol is involved because I am a total lightweight. But anything else worth doing, I'm all in."
"We are so very similar," He repeated his earlier notion.
"And yet, we are different," She noted, absently tracing a raised marking upon his chest.
"Does it frighten you? Seeing me this way?" He thought the question then immediately frowned.
"Seriously? You are seriously asking me that question right now?" She asked as she placed a kiss upon his sternum.
"Well, if I had more than a thousandth of a second to think about it, I probably would not have asked the question. Our bond, however, seems to allow no grace periods for contemplation," His inner voice seemed slightly irritated and yet amazed by the idea.
Jane beamed with a smile as she concluded, "Oh my god! You won't ever be able to lie to me, will you?"
"Probably not," Loki sighed as he closed his eyes, his blue Jotun form faded beneath the pale skin of his Asgardian visage.
"So I guess I can finally have my questions about magic answered, huh?"
"When we have the time, yes," He agreed as the door to the suite opened.
Topaz stepped inside, "The Grandmaster says you are free to return to your rooms. However, he asked that I extend an invitation to the orgy being held in celebration of your nuptials."
"No way in hell," Jane's mind declared firmly.
Loki smiled at Jane's inner reaction to the invitation. He simply squeezed her to him as he replied to Topaz, "I believe my bride and I will require some time alone."
"He figured you'd say that. Something about love or whatever," Topaz waved her hand in dismissal as she turned and walked away.
Jane met Loki's eyes with eagerness, "Are we about to teleport?" She felt his affirmation before almost squealing in delight, "I can't wait to know how you do that."
He hugged her tightly against him before Jane felt the push and pull of the universe around them. Before she could even raise the first question, she realized they were laying on Loki's bed.
"You move molecules through space time by sheer will?" Jane shook her head, "No, it can't be that simple."
"Wouldn't you consider walking simple? You are crossing distance by willing your limbs to move. The same principle applies."
"I almost agree with that except the human body was made to walk upright."
"I'm not human," He reminded her pointedly.
"That's not the point," She groaned, "The point is that instinct alone teaches us to walk on our legs."
"Your race's theory of evolution holds that humans were not always bipeds."
"You are using my own knowledge against me in this discussion."
"Is that what this is?" He grinned lightly at her.
"It is. Kind of. A scientific discussion. You are suggesting that, evolutionarily speaking, it is possible to evolve the ability."
"Or..."
"Or that you are a more evolutionarily advanced species. Well, that's not necessarily true. Not if you get down to the semantics of it."
Loki cupped her cheeks in his hands before speaking out loud, "Jane, stop rambling. Focus."
"Sorry," Jane met his eyes, expressing her apologies as she spoke aloud, "I get caught up sometimes."
"I was rather enjoying it, but we do have other things to attend to," He drew her lips to his as he echoed her thought, "Yes, it does feel strange to speak aloud to you."
"Since we already know and feel everything about the other?" She thought, a smile playing in the sound.
"Precisely."
"Well, almost everything."
"Jane, don't..." He withdrew from her slightly.
"Why can't I see why you attacked New York?" Jane focused on his eyes, "Come on, Loki. I've seen to the heart of you. What more could there be?"
"The worst," Loki replied as he rolled away from her and sat up on the edge of the bed, "I've spent the last few years working very hard to erect mental barriers to protect me from it. The only person I knew who possibly could have helped me is dead."
"I'm sorry," Jane knew she was radiating sorrow at his reference to his mother.
"I can feel your anxiety over this," He looked over his shoulder to her, "Will it calm you to know I have no plans to rule Earth? To know that the events surrounding the Tesseract were," He paused, closing his eyes as he focused his thoughts, "The man I have become would not do any of those things. I will never repeat that madness."
"Will you tell me one day? Will you really let me in?" Jane slid closer to him as she touched his shoulder.
Loki's heart swelled at the very idea. Which Jane felt, much to his dismay, "I can hide nothing from you except this. That alone should tell you it's worse than you can possibly imagine."
"You're never going to convince me that I don't need to know," She dismissed his argument, wrapping her arms around him from behind as she leaned against him, "I'll let this go...for now, but I'll never stop asking."
He nodded as he placed his hands upon her forearms, savoring her closeness, "You deserve answers, but now is probably not a good time for that. Our agenda is quite full enough."
"Oh yeah, let's see. We have Thor about to fight the Grandmaster's Champion. And then there's the whole 'You guys have an evil sister' thing. And, yeah, I'd like to get back to Earth some time."
"Let's start with the one that is of immediate concern," He turned his head slightly to look at her.
"Thor thinks you don't care about him or anybody else. He is so wrong about you," She leaned her head against his, "Is there anything we could do to get him out of this?"
"Possibly. But that's assuming a great deal. He's not going to want our help. He's going to insist on continuing with this match which, from what I've heard, will be Thor's doom. He is a powerful warrior, but the Champion is a savage and kills his opponents to hear the roar of the crowd. The Champion has remained undefeated for years here on Sakaar."
"Thor is going to get himself killed."
"Probably."
"You're going to offer to help him any way?"
"Of course," Loki turned, snaking his arms around Jane and drawing her into his lap, "He is my brother."
"He said he hoped you were brothers again," She met his eyes in concern, "You think he'll still want to be your brother since this? Since us?"
"Probably not in the short term, but he will eventually forgive us."
"Us? Sounded like he was fully blaming you back there," Jane pointed out while caressing his cheek.
"Per his usual," Loki shrugged, "However, as he sees us together longer, he will shift some of the blame to you."
"Thor can shove it. I'm not some poor shrinking violet for him to Lord over," She declared firmly.
"No, you are Jane Foster of Midgard, burdened with glorious purpose," He reminded her, his smile bright enough to eclipse any star.
Jane dropped her head in a sudden pang of embarrassment as she actually considered what had occurred, "I didn't really do that, did I?"
"You most certainly did," He lifted her chin with a fingertip, "You were extraordinary," He slid his fingers across her cheek, drawing her lips to his, "You are extraordinary."
"I am normally nothing like this."
"How so?"
"I normally have a lot of self control. I just don't seem to have any where you're involved."
"Sounds like we have a bit of a common problem," He mused as he stood from the bed, carrying her in his arms, "I lose control with you as well."
"What are you doing?" She asked as he placed her on her feet once they were inside the bathroom, "Nevermind."
He smiled, kneeling beside the bathing pool to switch on the flow of water and adjust the temperature, "We freshen up and then we visit Thor."
Jane smiled silently as she moved to the mirror while water rushed into the pool. She unfastened the braid from earlier and began working her fingers through her hair to loosen the tresses.
She could feel Loki watching her, his mind not broadcasting coherent thoughts but feelings: Appreciation of her beauty, the longing to touch her, and a feeling of disbelief that they were in fact bound together forever.
"Is it forever?" She thought the question as she lifted a brush from the vanity and began brushing her hair. She knew he could feel how his emotions affected her: the tenderness she felt as he looked at her and her need for him to touch her.
And then, he was touching her, taking the brush from her hand. She relinquished her hold, allowing him to take it from her. He began working the brush through her hair, tenderly and smoothly.
"Quite possibly."
"Blood magic? What is blood magic?"
"It is a magical practice where the users mingle their blood with a potion to enhance the potion's intent. It's difficult to undo, but since you and I would be of one accord to undo it, that would not be the most difficult portion to untangle," He spoke as he continued brushing her hair, "The ancient sigil of infinity we held when reciting the spell, that's the one which makes matters difficult if not impossible."
"So you're stuck with me until I die, huh?" Jane sighed as she turned to face him, "Hopefully, that'll be about fifty or sixty years. It'll be like a heartbeat."
Loki tossed the brush to the vanity where it landed with a crash. He cupped her cheeks in his hands as he met her eyes, "No. I will give you the gift of immortality."
"You are not immortal."
"Not exactly, but much more so than you at present."
"How can you even give immortality any way?"
"Thor never told you of Idunn's apples?" He asked as he searched her memories, "No, I don't suppose he would. He knew just as I did. He would never be able to procure one while Odin sat on the throne. And Thor did not want the throne himself."
"An apple grants immortality?" Jane couldn't help the wry grin, "It's always an apple at the center of things getting mortals into trouble. How is an apple going to change my lifespan?"
"Magic."
"You say that like it's the simplest thing in all the universe."
"Because it is," He closed his eyes, concentrating on his memories of learning basic magical elements.
"I can see your memories, I can feel the magic that's caused us to be joined, and I've teleported with you. None of those experiences seem any less..."
"Magical?" Loki questioned with a half smile.
"Supernatural."
"Ah, the word supernatural, shall we break that down to it's exact meaning?" He challenged, enjoying her frustration at his answers to her questions.
"Oh shut up," She teased playfully, giving him a gentle shove, "What makes this particular apple so special?"
"Apples are not a common fruit on Asgard. They can only be procured from one place. Idunn's orchard. The apples there all have the magical gift of immortality sealed within."
"Apples aren't common on Asgard? But I ate one."
"What?" He searched for her memory of eating the fruit.
"Yeah, your mother gave me some apple slices with honey. I wasn't hungry but it was the best apple I have ever eaten."
Focusing on the memory, Loki pulled the imagery forward: Frigga's rooms in the palace. Jane taking an apple slice in her fingers. The tingle of his mother's familiar magic.
"Whoa, what was that?" Jane asked as she looked up to his eyes.
"I should not be able to sense anything within your memories beyond your own perceptions. I do not know how I sensed the magic."
"See the rest. See if you can figure out why," She urged him quickly.
The memory rushed forward. As Jane bit down into an apple slice, Loki's senses detected a spell. Frigga's voice echoed within: "For the Love of a Prince of Asgard and that Love returned, I give the gift of immortality if, and only if, your heart leads you to a life among us."
Jane blinked as she heard Frigga's voice clearly, "Did she..."
Loki grinned, "She knew Odin would never allow it, and she did it anyway."
"Without even asking me?"
"She cast the spell so that when the time was right...if Thor would take you for his bride, he would have no need of asking Odin for the apple. Once you were in love and he with you, the spell would take over and complete the transformative magic."
"Or maybe she knew this would happen. She didn't exactly name Thor specifically," Jane considered the possibility as she moved to the bathing pool. She switched off the water and sat on the side, "Does this mean I'm immortal now?"
"No, she specifically spoke about you choosing a life among the Aesir. It's the choice she left for you to make."
"I suppose that means it's a wait and see, hmm?"
"I suppose," Loki thought, broadcasting his wish that she would make the decision now.
"Your mother," Jane began thinking, redirecting their conversation, "She spoke to me about you, you know?"
"Did she?" He asked in surprise.
"See the memory, Loki. She loved you. She wanted me to know that what happened on Earth wasn't the son she had raised. She believed in redemption for you."
"Mother, always the optimist," A brief flash of a smile graced his features before disappearing just as quickly.
"Stop that. She knew you loved her," Jane declared firmly as she held out her hand to him, "Come here."
Loki took her hand and tugged her onto her feet. He lifted her into his arms before stepping into the bathing pool and settling into the water, cradling Jane against him.
"You distract me," Jane slid her hands over his shoulders.
He grinned, "If you expect me to apologize for that, you'll be sadly disappointed."
"No apology necessary," She smiled as she met his eyes, "This all seems impossible. To feel you...Really feel you..."
"Jane," Loki took her hand in his and slipped his fingers to lace with hers, "We are two parts of a whole now."
"Will we have to stay together all the time? Will distance make us uncomfortable? What will happen when we sleep?"
"Your mind never stops, does it?"
"Only when we're having sex," She admitted.
His grin grew, "Well, at least there's that."
"Do you think the desire will diminish over time?"
"I sincerely hope not," He lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to her skin.
"Me too," She admitted with a bit of a frown.
"You don't like the idea that I can feel your desire for me? Why ever not?"
"Puritanical rules of the society in which I was raised reenforced by thousands of movies and television shows declaring a woman should play hard to get," She sighed a little bit then smiled as she felt his instant reaction.
"Midgard needs a reset if they endoctrinate females in such a way," He met her eyes, mischief dancing within.
"You've been a female?" She searched his eyes, "That's...different."
"It was a phase," He commented. He noted the shift in her emotions, "You are disappointed that I called it a phase?"
"It's just that would be something to see."
"Would you like to?" He asked, sensing hesitation on her part, "You did not even flinch when I shifted to my Jotun form, but my female form intimidates you?" He couldn't help laughing aloud.
"I can't explain it. Maybe it was adrenaline. Or maybe I'm just overthinking right now instead of..."
"Would you shut up?" He captured her lips in a searing kiss, forcing her to stop her trail of thoughts.
Jane melted against him, her desire overwhelming her thoughts, "Thank you."
"For what?" He asked as he pulled back in confusion.
"For listening to my rambling and not running scared," She explained.
He raised an eyebrow while an amused smirk danced across his lips, "That's not really an option, I'm afraid."
"Yes, you could. If you really wanted to, you could," Jane declared, certain that despite their connection he could run just as easily as any other man she'd been involved with.
Having felt her reasoning and emotional process, he swung her around to sit on the ledge while he moved to face her, "Look at me."
"You could just think it," Jane thought to him as he spoke aloud.
"No, some things you really need to hear," Loki stated firmly as he took her hands in his, "I am not going anywhere."
"Maybe not now, but when we leave here..." She started to argue as she looked away.
"I will always be with you. I'm not intimidated by your intelligence or your emotions," He tipped her chin to meet her eyes again, "And if you go on for days, I will listen. I might try to distract you, but in the end, you will have my attention."
"Why?" She asked, disbelief evident in her voice.
"Feel me," He took her hand and placed it upon his chest, "Feel what I feel...for you..."
Jane concentrated on Loki's emotions. A silent desperation for her confidence in him to be secure. A plea for acceptance. And...
"You are not in love with me," She denied what she had felt, "And I'm not in love with you. Whatever happened back there to fool the Grandmaster, I am grateful, but people do not just instantly fall in love."
"No, they don't. But people, whoever they are, are not us. Not with our specific circumstances. Couples spend years reading body language to gauge emotions. They share memories and stories, but the connection we have now bridges all of that. You looked through my memories. You know more of me than anyone I've ever met," Loki stopped speaking and thought to her, "Feel this, Jane. You don't have to be afraid."
"I am not afraid," She thought forcefully as he slid his arms around her.
"Liar."
"Okay, so I am afraid."
"So tell me why you are afraid," He urged as he swept her hair from her face, "Surely, you are not frightened of me?"
"No, I'm afraid of losing myself. Every time I've fallen in love with someone, I've give of myself until I lose me in the process. With us connected this way, and since I already feel..." She stopped, before confessing aloud, "I am in love with you."
"I know," Loki smiled lightly, "And I with you."
"This is insane," She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around him tightly.
He squeezed her to him, "This is us."
"Us," She repeated the word in her mind, feeling a warm rush of endearment both for and from her husband, "Oh my god, we are married."
"Missed that bit, did you?" He teased as he searched her thoughts, "If you so choose, I will participate in whatever Midgardian customs you want."
Jane smiled, "It's stupid, I guess."
"Nonsense. We all have dreams of perfect moments in our lives. They rarely turn out how we'd imagined. Our wedding, while appreciated at this point, was not of our particular choosing. Perhaps we can remedy some of that on our own."
"Illusions?"
"You did want to know how magic works. Tonight seems as good a time as any."
"But we have to visit Thor first, right?"
"Yes, and then, my dear, you will have my undivided attentions for the rest of the evening."
"So, how do we do this?"
"We bathe first, and then we will use magic to project to the dungeon."
"Magic," Jane smiled, "I have to tell you I'm enjoying the magic thing."
"I know," He smiled in return, "There's just one more thing I have to do."
"What?"
She had no sooner thought the question than Loki's kiss was distracting her from all further thoughts. She melted into his kiss, holding onto him tightly.
"We need to get started, or we will find ourselves further distracted," His inner voice purred the encouragement.
"You're right," Jane agreed, reluctantly pulling away from him, "You can distract me later."
"It will be my pleasure," He grinned.
A short while later, Jane sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped in the plush robe she'd worn that morning, "I have nothing to wear."
"We can remedy that," Loki spoke while working a spell to clothe himself in his blue leathers.
She watched as a dress in similar color to Loki's wrapped around her body in a green mist. She admired the soft blue fabric, "Magic is handy."
"Yes, it is," He held out his hand to her, "Let's go visit Thor."
Jane placed her hand in his as Loki focused his thoughts on his brother. He filled his mind with the image of Thor. Jane watched as the imagery before her shimmered, changing from the plush accommodations of Loki's rooms to the shear despair of the gladiator dungeons.
Thor knelt, his back to Loki and Jane.
"What's he doing?" Jane asked, watching as Thor spoke words of reverence.
"Mourning," Loki explained in his thoughts as Thor continued with the prayer. He joined his brother at the first opportunity, "Those who have died the glorious death."
Thor's shoulders stiffened as he heard Loki's voice. He raised his head and slowly turned his entire body to sit upon the floor. He backed against the wall and stared at his visitors.
"Hurts doesn't it? Being lied to. Being told you're one thing and then learning it's all a fiction?" Loki asked, attempting to level the playing field with his brother.
Thor gathered a stone from the floor and threw it at Loki. When the stone passed through, the God of Mischief broke a slight laugh, "You didn't really think I'd come and see you, did you? This place is disgusting."
Thor tossed another stone. It passed through the illusion and clattered against the floor.
"Look, we couldn't jeopardize our position with the Grandmaster. We were in a bit of a situation ourselves."
"Oh yes," Thor nodded, "I saw that."
"Thor, it's nothing like what you are thinking," Jane spoke up.
"And just what should I think?" The God of Thunder began as he turned his ire on Loki, "You faked your death, stole the throne, stripped Odin of his power and stranded him on Earth to die...releasing the Goddess of Death. And then you escape death again only to end up publicly fornicating my former lover. Or should I go back further than two days?"
"You can't be serious," Jane declared before huffing, "You're not really going to blame Loki for everything, are you?"
"Jane," Thor spoke her name as a condemnation, his attention focusing upon her for a brief moment before looking back to Loki, "What have you done to her, Loki?"
Loki rolled his eyes, ignoring his brother's question, "Does this mean you don't want our help?"
Thor tossed another stone through Loki's form.
"You're not seriously thinking of going back, are you?" Loki took a steadying breath as he attempted reason with his brother, "Our sister," He emphasized the term, "Destroyed your hammer like a piece of glass. She's stronger than both of us. She is stronger than you. You don't stand a chance. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?"
Thor looked around for more pebbles.
"Thor, talk to us," Jane urged, "Let us help you."
The God of Thunder focused his attention back to the woman who had changed his life, "Help me? Is that what consorting with my brother was supposed to be? Helping me?"
"This marriage...Loki and I...nothing happened until here on Sakaar."
Thor grunted his denial, "How long? The entire time since the Dark World?"
"I had no idea he was alive until I saw him here," Jane stopped speaking, "You know what? I do not have to justify anything to you. You may be the God of Thunder but you are not my God. You don't get to tell me what's best for me and try to Lord over my life. That's the reason I broke up with you. Well, that and you are severely emotionally unavailable."
"Emotionally unavailable?" Loki questioned as he looked to his wife.
"You know...he's so in love with Asgard...or himself, I could never decide which...that he has no room for anyone else," Jane explained aloud.
Thor's laugh bellowed through the dungeon, "And you married Loki? There's your emotionally unavailable."
"You would be immensely surprised," Jane replied, "Come on, Thor. See some reason here. Let us try to help you."
"No." Thor replied curtly.
"I told you," Loki droned as he crossed his arms in frustration with his brother, "I say we place a rather large wager against him tomorrow. It should set us up nicely."
Jane glanced at her husband while thinking, "Now, we're going to goad him?"
"Usually works like a charm," Loki thought to her.
She smiled as she wrapped her arms around Loki's waist, melting into his side, "Yes, we should do that."
"I don't understand, Jane," Thor's voice stretched the words tightly, "How could you?"
"I'd explain, but you aren't in a mood to listen right now," She looked back to the God of Thunder, "I did not, have not, and will not betray you. That's not who I am. If you ever knew anything about me at all, you would know that."
"But this..." Thor motioned to the couple, "When I am free of this prison...I will seek the truth of this."
"You will find my wife and I are hopelessly lost to one another," Loki stated clearly before continuing, "That's assuming you survive. You know, I haven't seen this Beloved Champion he talks of, but I've heard he's astonishingly savage. We're going to go place that wager now. Don't let us down."
Loki withdrew the magic he'd used to project to Thor and frowned as he looked to Jane, "I told you he wouldn't want our help."
"Have I mentioned lately that Thor can be an idiot?" Jane sighed with a frown, "What else can we do?"
"Wait and see if we have a opportunity to help the Witless Oaf, whether he wants it or not," The God of Mischief declared, fearing his brother was in a lot more trouble than he'd bargained for.